


Free Citizen

by amalnahurriyeh



Category: Caprica (TV)
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Extras, Female Protagonist, Gen, Organized Crime, Prison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-19
Updated: 2011-03-19
Packaged: 2017-10-17 02:49:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/172109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amalnahurriyeh/pseuds/amalnahurriyeh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The lines under her eyes were more obvious than she would like.  It's been a long couple of years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Free Citizen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mercurie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercurie/gifts).



Fidelia leaned over the sink in the changing room they'd led her to and examined her face. There hadn't been any makeup in the kit that had been dropped off for her; just the suit, and that was a good size too big. Whoever'd been sent to drop it off was clearly neither a woman, nor anybody who'd done time. The lines under her eyes were more obvious than she would like. It had been a long couple of years.

She reached into the bag and pulled out a pair of earrings. They were new, too, just like the suit. She wondered where her jewelry's been all these years, maybe sitting in an attic or a backroom at Goldie's. Or maybe hocked. Times have been tough. She pushed the wire into the hole in her ear. It stuck as she pushed further; the hole'd grown shut while she'd been in here, pacing her cell and learning six new ways to cheat at triad and two new ways to enforce Guatrau's orders without leaving a mark. She increased the pressure, and it popped through. She reached around to wipe the little clot of tissue off the back of the earring, and then took the other one off the backing to put it on as well.

The guard outside the room nodded when she saw Fidelia come out. "You ready to go collect your effects?"

"As I'll ever be," she said, and pulled down the cuffs of her sleeves. The shirt was nice. Not too big. She'd probably keep it.

"Can't believe that we're seeing the end of you so soon, Fazekas," the guard said as they walked down the hall.

The sun outside was bright and slanted, yellow, and she felt the beginnings of that agoraphobic wave that she knew would crash over her as soon as she stepped out of the prison doors. "The worlds today," Fidelia said.

"You said it," the guard said, and paused to unlock the gate at the end of the hall.

The evidence officer behind the counter had ink on her hands, and scowled harder at Fidelia than she had to. _Yeah, like you don't have my father to thank for one thing or another,_ she thought, and reached out to take the box. Seven cubits and a fistful of change, a long-stale pack of cigarettes, a book of matches from that little bar down south of Artemis Way. She slid them into the pockets of the jacket. Finally she pulled out her hat. It had a teal ribbon; not the best with this outfit, but she'd take it. She struck the dust off the top of it, and the officer cougheda dramatically. " _May the Gods keep you and your family_ ," she said in Tauron, and made a little gesture of respect that couldn't mean anything but insult.

The guard was at the outer door now, punching in the code on the electric lock. "Congratulations, Ms. Fazekas," she said. "You are now a free citizen of the world of Caprica and the Twelve Colonies. Your probation officer will see you on Tuesday."

"It's been a pleasure," Fidelia said. She walked through the gate, and crossed the lobby. The glass doors of the prison were heavy, which was an unsubtle trick if she ever saw one. Outside, the courtyard stretched around her, and the street beyond was a blur of traffic and life.

She tilted her head up into the sun, and closed her eyes.

"Fiddy," called a voice from the street. She looked across. There was Icer, that little frakker, waiting with the car.

She bowed her head and put her hat on. "I'm coming," she said, and took the first step.


End file.
